


U1 - The Hank & Cyril Story

by J_Flattermann



Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2014-09-06
Packaged: 2018-02-16 08:40:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2263137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_Flattermann/pseuds/J_Flattermann
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story line links in with the U1 -verse and it is recommended to read that story first.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What are these for?

[](http://pics.livejournal.com/j_flattermann/pic/0022fesg/)

** What are these for? **

Part of the U1 – Universe 1 AU.

Pairing: Harrizan Blunk / Dr. Cyril Rainshar

Genre: Slash

Rating: Adult

Word Count: 2096

Summary: After his body transformation Harri needs to work out what the new parts on his body are for.  
Beta’ed by my good friend . All mistakes are mine, written for ’s birthday. 

  
The previous day Harri had been retrieved from his damaged device and experienced the programming of a complete new body.  Due to the mix-up of his original species' specification with the homo sapiens of Gene and Hank's  pseudohomo, his body had changed significantly.   


  
His own race the Brown Greys had no external procreation organs like the human-shaped species from which Gene and  Hank originated.  No, the sex organs of Greys and their subspecies Black and Brown Greys were in gill-like pouches located on the sides of their bodies. To procreate Greys rubbed their sides and that was all that was needed. However with the law strictly limiting procreation the sex gills had shrunk over the millennia and Greys as well as Black and Brown Greys now had to rely on artificial insemination.

Harri remembered that after the first forming stage in the gills the embryo of a Black or Brown Grey had to crawl out of their and make it's way down to the birth pouch which by then would have opened on the abdomen of the parent. Brown and Black Grey as all Grey subspecies had no direct rules which gender was breeding. Even the gender was not fixed determined. If two male wanted to mate one of them would simply change gender and they could start breeding.  
Harri didn't liked memories as such for he had been in a force breeding facility as a youngster. His father had interned him and Harri had been forced to mate with Greys who had be chosen by the government. The act of mating and the breeding afterwards had felt like rape to Harri.

  
But now the traditional form of sex was no longer available to Harri and he was very thankful for it. He had been standing in front of the mirror admiring his new body all day yesterday. Just like all homo-species he now had these dangly parts between his legs. He wasn't sure exactly what they were used for as yet but Gene had promised to download a programme which would explain functionality and use. For now Harri just enjoyed the mere sight of them.    


 Harri sat in the lab in front of Gene's tabloid studying the pictures on the monitor, completely unaware he was being observed. The homo-sapiens hologram stood in the doorway wondering about this fascinating creature who sat there at the computer. What amazed the man most was that the creature which still possessed its race's skin-tone seemed to be utterly unashamed of looking at porn in this official environment.

A smirk appeared on the man's face as he heard the Grey uttering 'OOOhs', 'Aaaahs' and 'Ohs' at the videos showing men making use of their genitalia. Some of the pictures seemed to shock the young Grey as the wrinkling of the nose gave away.  


“Ehem,” the man cleared his throat to make his presence known. The strange looking Grey turned around and smiled back at the man, who now blushed realising that the creature before him wasn't wearing any clothes at all. 

The pair of very dark brown eyes almost black in appearance sparkled with humorous fire as they roamed over the naked body of the hologram before him. “Hi. My name is Cyril Rainshar, Doctor Cyril Rainshar. I am here to see Doctor Gene Rovings.” The Grey rose from his chair totally unimpressed or ashamed by his nudity. Instead smiling, he stretched out his hand in greeting, and replied “Hi, Doctor Cyril Rainshar. I am Harri Blunk. Oh, it's Harrizan normally but Harri will do just fine.” 

With a nod of his head towards the computer Harri explained that he was doing research on the dangly bits and while talking reached between his legs and showed Cyril what he was talking about. Cyril had to laugh; here was something he had never experienced in his entire life. 

“You are not used to, ehem, um, them?” He blushed whilst asking Harri who happily shook his head. “I've only have them since yesterday.” He said beaming with pride and then held up a hand “I've got five fingers now too. And Hair, even on my bum.”

Still smiling he turned and displayed the dark fluff covering his buttocks.

Cyril laughed out loud over such a display of naivete. “So do you understand what they are doing there?” He asked Harri pointing at the monitor. Harri shook his head, “No.” He confessed, “Not really. It's all very confusing.”

Cyril grinned. “Want me to help? What you need, my friend, is a first class instructor. Someone to show you precisely what these are made for.”

Harri looked his conversation partner up and down. 

Apart from the mesmerizing eyes he looked at a fine chiselled face. A tall man of slim build but still somewhat muscular with dark hair to complement the dark eyes. Harri liked what he saw.

“OK.” He said. “Show me.” And he spread his arms out as if to say "what do you want me to do.” Cyril laughed again. “No. Not here. Do you have a room somewhere? Or know a place where we will not be disturbed?” 

Harri tilted his head and his right index finger tapped his lips. “Let's see.” 

He grabbed Cyril's hand and was about to lead him away completely forgetting about the computer. “Don't you want to switch that off?” Cyril asked pointing at the tabloid still running the porn video. Harri giggled, “I better.” He said giggling even more, “might give people strange ideas. Right?”

He didn't waited for an answer but switched the computer off and turned back to Cyril reaching for his hand again. “Come on now, this way.” 

Harri opened the door to one of the guest rooms. The room contained a living and reading area and a door at the other end led into a double alcove. It was to the alcove Harri led Cyril. Cyril grinned looking around the place. Wondering why Harri had chosen that place. But then again the large bed in the alcove was exactly right for them. 

Cyril took the lead, pulling Harri down onto the bed, pressing his lips onto Harri's. When Cyril broke the kiss, Harri glowed “Wow. That … does it always feels like … it tickled, especially in some places. Can you do that again?”

Cyril leaned in for another kiss, brushing his hands over Harri's chest, resting his fingertips on Harri's newly created nipples, rubbing them gently. Harri arched in to the touch. “OH!” He breathed “I was wondering what they were for.” Cyril moved down placing kisses along Harri's jawbone, his throat and nipples and all over Harri's chest. Harri gasped, moaned, desperate to prolong Cyril's touch. 

When Cyril got up to remove his clothes Harri watched comparing Cyril's body with his own new one. His eyes went wide when his gaze fell on Cyril's erection but got even bigger when he glanced at his own. He cried out when Cyril bent down to brush his lips over his hot, swollen, pulsing member. Cyril first kissed it softly and then brushed his tongue over Harri's full length. Harri flinched then arched up to prevent Cyril from breaking the touch. But Cyril moved away reaching for Harri's hand and pressed it against his own throbbing flesh. Gasped at the touch of Harri's innocent exploring fingers. 

Stroking and massaging Harri's penis and scrotum Harri soon reached out to copy the movements on Cyril's body duplicating each move and touch he had just experienced himself.

Cyril soon pushed him flat on the bed, then bent over and took Harri's penis in his mouth making small sucking noises and grunting as he increased the rhythm. Harri unprepared for this sensation became immediately undone and arched violently in his orgasm. Stimulated by the hypersensitivity of his lover Cyril came soon after.

Both panted heavily as they fell back on the bed, lying side by side. After a short while Cyril apologised leaving Harri bewildered. “There is so much more I haven't shown you yet. We both came far to quickly.” Harri's eyes grew big. “More?” He asked and Cyril nodded. “This is considered foreplay under normal circumstances.” He stated and continued on explaining that due to Harri being a novice and he himself not being sexual active for quite some time they both hadn't been able to hold back. 

Before starting with the second part of his sex-lecture demonstrations Cyril rummaged through the drawers of the bed's side-table. He found several sex toys and more importantly a bottle of lubricant. Harri watched and seeing the articles Cyril fished out of the drawer wondered and asked about their function. 

The first item was a gagging mask and the second an anal ring. Cyril explained that some couples found it sexually stimulating to play games. One of the partners would be made vulnerable by being gagged;  to force the mouth closed to prevent outcries. The ring was just the opposite; to hold the anus open for the other partner's perusal and use whenever and however he wished. 

To Cyril's surprise Harri shuddered at the thought and shook his head. “This doesn't seem right. No, I would never use these.” He dismissed the objects. “I could never force my partner.” He added and suddenly grew very sad and withdrawn.

  
Cyril quickly placed the devices back in the drawer and closed it.  At Cyril's request Harri began to explain why he had so forcefully rejected the idea. Cyril learned that to this day Greys were using both Black and Brown Greys, the subspecies Harri's ancestors belonged to, as sex slaves. Due to this continual molestation the species of Brown Greys had been created as a mutation. The Black Grey's, a minority species in the galaxy which had been Harri's home, had been abused and dominated by the Greys for many millennia and even the United Government of Allied Quadrants had shut their eyes on the matter, fearful of alienating the Greys which were a powerful ally.   


Cyril cradled Harri in his arms kissing away the tears that ran down the young man's face. Promising never to force Harri to do something he did not wish to do, he managed to calm him down. So they spent the next hour cuddled close together kissing and caressing each other until Harri's gender started to stir again. 

“Do you want me to show you what else your penis can be used for?” He was asked and Harri eagerly nodded. Cyril had made the decision to let Harri mount him first as he himself had of course experienced sexual intercourse many times before and was well aware of what would happen. He feared to spook Harri with a possible painful breach if the young Brown Grey wasn't able to relax his anal muscles.

So Cyril began to explain what Harri should do, pushing the lube into Harri's hands but the young man shook his head. 

“I am afraid to get it wrong. No, you go first and then I'll know what it will be like and what to do.” He insisted. “But you have never been … I mean, you never … FUCK. It might hurt. I might hurt you and then ...” But Harri took Cyril in his arms, kissed him and looked him deep in the eyes. “I trust you.” He said disarmingly. 

Cyril sighed. He first lathered Harri and his own fingers with lube before he began slowly and tenderly pushing his middle finger against Harri's ring-muscle. Harri clamped tight twice and Cyril told him that he needed to relax otherwise it would be very painful. “I am trying.” Cyril heard the nervousness in his voice. Again Cyril probed gently and this time managed to push his finger inside. “Oh. Oh.” Harri gasped and squeezed tight once again. 

“You have to relax. Please.” Cyril said but to no avail. So he leaned forward and took Harri's scrotum into his mouth sucking gently. This led to Harri relaxing again and Cyril carefully wiggled his finger inserting it full length, then withdrawing to add a second finger to push back in. Harri arched again biting his lips. His hands clawed and fisted, twisting the bed sheet. Cyril waited a moment and then began to spread his fingers slowly widening  the entrance. After a third finger was gently introduced Cyril felt that neither of them could wait any longer and removing his fingers he penetrated Harri with his penis. Moving at a snail-like pace and almost without resistance, slow but sure, bit by bit he inched forward until he was completely buried to the hilt.  Harri moaned, whimpered, whined and moved his pelvis to meet the gentle push but Cyril held him motionless to make sure he would not hurt.

However the tightness and the heat as well as the willingness of his partner made it hard for Cyril to hold back. And with Harri becoming completely undone and opening himself up he spent himself utterly inside his lover.

Harri had totally relaxed and let himself fall into the sensation of Cyril's closeness. Cyril had been astonished to find Harri so willing to surrender himself and from that moment had fallen for Harri unconditionally.

During his orgasm Cyril cried, tears running down his face and he shouted. “I love you. I love you.  Forever I will love you.” 

He than collapsed on top of Harri who wrapped him in his arms and pressed a kiss on his lips.

"I love you too.” Harri said and then they both, replete with their lovemaking, fell asleep.


	2. Getting to know you

Cyril came back from his work at the science laboratory. Harri who had accompanied him after their first encounter was living with him for one week.

 

The first two days Harri had been at the laboratory with Cyril observing the autopsy of the strange intruder which had been found on Harri's heavily damaged flyer. But after three days Harri had been informed that his flyer was released from the lab where it had been investigate for further extra-universal remains of the aliens corpses. Harri had hoped to be able to get his flyer back into working mode. He had told Cyril that he if if arrangements could be made for him to get access to spare parts as soon as he had established which parts were needed, would be out of Cyril's way.

However the result had been disappointing. Harri had to admit defeat as his flyer was clearly beyond repair. He had taken out all the things working still. What was left of  the damaged shell and interior was to be scrapped. If he was lucky he would get a few units from the scrap yard. However this would never be enough to pay for the spares. A new flyer was utterly out of question.    


The day had been nothing like he had hoped for.

So instead of meeting up with Cyril at the bio-lab he went back to Cyril's quarters. Still not accustomed to clothes the first thing he did was stripping off the limiting and uncomfortable clothes. His stomach made himself heard and he realised that he hadn't eaten anything since early morning before leaving. Cyril had his quarters remodelled to accommodate Harri's needs of eating, drinking and the disposal of the refuse which came as a part of Harri's body functions. Cyril had been glad that other Greys and their mutated sub-species were members of the scientific program here on Rhea. The colleagues of the Grey species were willing to help out and provide the first batch of necessary supplies for Harri until Cyril's order had been delivered. Harri had recompensed the scientists with Silkron units. This had left his account blundered and without a working flyer he couldn't go back to his work as a bounty hunter. Harri was stranded and clueless what to do.    


He was standing in front of his food processor waiting for the programmed food to be ready to eat. He hummed a little tune he knew from his childhood as he bent over the counter to follow the progress of the food processor. Harri didn't noticed that Cyril had entered having returned from work. The homo-sapiens hologram leaned in the door frame admiring the roundness of Harri's rear. Cyril's throat wasn't the only thing that grew tight at the sight of the naked Brown-Grey mutant standing in his kitchen. He shifted his stance when Harri registered the movement out of the corner of his eye. Without turning around he addressed the young doctor standing in the door staring at him, “I am preparing something to eat. I know you can't join in, but I checked on the net and found something that you can have. Want me to prepare it for you?”    


Cyril was one of the hologram's which reenergised by docking into their alcoves. His configurations weren't made for the intake of normal food. However there were several high-energy holographic drinks and food sources available which could be easily processed. “How do you know I'm here?” Cyril wondered and the young hologram chuckled. “Your eyes are drilling hot holes in my bum. So what's it? Join?”   


The young doctor had to chuckle as well. “No wonder. When you are wiggling it so delightfully in my direction. But honest Harri, it could as well be someone else who had entered. You should keep that in mind, we are not by ourselves here on Rhea.” Harri turned around.    


“Are you ashamed of me?” He fired back, but Cyril shook his head. “No. I am not ashamed of you.” He declared calmly. “But I am very jealous. And if somebody sees my sexy new boyfriend all naked  … might give them ideas. And I clearly wouldn't like that. It's just that here are so many different species in on place, that someone might misunderstand. It's not like with Gene and Hank who have their planet to themselves.” The thought of being unobserved with Harri alone on a planet gave Cyril ideas and he sighed.

Cyril crossed the room and when standing finally opposite Harri, he grabbed him by his firm buttocks and pressed him close to his body. “You make me all horny.” He whispered into Harri's ear. “Do you think you can eat a little later?” Harri swallowed feeling Cyril's hardened cock underneath his tight jeans. But then his stomach rumbled again. Cyril started to laugh, “there is someone complaining loudly.” He said and pressed his lips on Harri's. “Guess I'll take a shower and you eat. We'll meet in the bedroom.” To stress his words he squeezed Harri's buttocks before letting go.    


Harri cursed under his breath as he followed Cyril with his eyes as he left the room for his shower. Harri turned his attention again to the food processor drumming his fingers on the counter impatiently. Just then the machine pinged announcing that the food was ready.   


Unfortunately the food was now piping hot and Harri had to wait not to burn himself. To speed the process of cooling he blew on the forkful of food.   
From the Cyril's shower room which was a special microwave shower a ping announced that the first stage of cleaning was over. 

However concentrating on the food was not possible as he listened out to the  humming noise of the shower coming from the clean-room. He blew desperately on each forkful, swallowing almost without chewing. All he wanted was to be on the bed before Cyril came out of the bath. He shovelled away the top layer only to be stopped by the heat of the next. Damn it. The shower noise had stopped and a second ping announced the end of the main cleaning program. This would give him only a few minutes as Cyril would be blow-dried. Pushing the plate away Harri jumped to his feet and rushed over to their bedroom.

He draped himself over the bed waiting for Cyril to come out of the bath.    


His stomach was ready to give up however and rumbled on. 'Darn. Give peace.' He tried to will the organ to quiet. He was wondering if he could make a sprint for another bite or two but feared that this was exactly when Cyril would come out. So he pushed the thought aside and remained where he was. 

“Will you take much longer?” He finally shouted as he heard the shaver spring to live. But Cyril couldn't hear him. So he dashed out into the kitchen to fetch his food. 

The food had cooled down sufficiently now but Harri was still fidgeting. From the kitchen he couldn't hear the shaver and wasn't able to see the door to the bathroom either. So he decided to take his plate over to the bedroom.


	3. Compatible

Harri had finished his plate up to the last two bites when a hissing noise from the bathroom made him jump. The jump caused the plate to topple and a large dollop of gravy landed on his chest, smack bang in the hollow of his breastbone. From there it started first slowly to move downwards getting thinner in the process until one single gravy tear dropped into the pool of his navel.

“Shit!” Harri said to himself, “Typical you.” He was just about to get up to fetch a tea towel from the kitchen when the bathroom door opened and Cyril entered the room.    


Harri forgetting about the gravy on his chest slumped back onto the bed mouth gaping open.

Cyril had attempted to rid himself of some of what he thought excessive chest and belly hair. But the electric razor must have jammed in the soft hair for Cyril was sporting two plasters on his tummy. 

“Ouch!” Harri yelped at the sight, “this looks like it hurt.” He got up gravy in his navel and all and kneeling in front of Cyril tried to kiss him better. Leaning forward made the little pool in his bellybutton spilling over. So Cyril who wasn't able to lick the sauce away unwrapped the towel he wore around his waist and wiped the gravy away in gentle rotating swipes. Harri started to purr like a little tomcat. So the towel was dropped landing on the plate that Harri shoved half-heartedly under the bed.    


Cyril started out on top but soon found himself overthrown and lying on his back. Harri had his right nipple between his teeth and gently chewed when not suckling. “Oooh! I didn't teach you that.” Cyril gasped for breath. Harri looked up, grinning fiendishly before turning his attention to the lower section of Cyril's body.    


As both holograms were of a different making there were parts of their bodies where touches created an electrostatic discharge. Both experiences these “sparkles” as a soft tickling and soon they incorporated them into their foreplay.    


Just now Harri created a discharge from each finger of his hands whilst running them slowly along Cyril's ribs and sides. He then continued doing the same along the inside of Cyril's legs. Even though Cyril had started it all when he first experienced the phenomenon today he wriggled and hardly could bear the tickling. In his mind he still had that picture of Harri bending over the counter in their kitchen. “Ho … ho-hold it for a minute, Harri. OHHHH.” Harri realising that Cyril was fighting to keep the control stopped for a brief moment.    


Only looking down at Cyril he couldn't hold back for long. So he bent down and started to flicker his tongue around Cyril's scrotum in small circles first and then increasing the size until his tongue circled around the balls entirely. Cyril tried to say “You're such a beast.” But somehow it came out as “ouh, uuuch, eeeaaa”. This encouraged Harri to try something else.    


So he lifted Cyril's pelvis by shoving his left arm under the small of his back. As soon as his arm was under Cyril's back his hand found his way under Cyril's bum. He pushed his hand further until his fingers reached Cyril's anus.    


Harri flicked his tongue around Cyril's cock before pressing the tip of his tongue against the bottom of Cyril's swollen penis. He then slowly moved the tongue upwards always applying pressure onto the hot flesh. At the same time he probed his fingers against the entry in Cyril's bum cleft.   


Cyril cried out his frustration. At one time he wanted to relax to give Harri's finger access to his anus but at the same time the pressure from Harri's tongue tip on his cock made his muscles tense not to come there and then.   


After two attempts Cyril finally managed to form audible words complained that Harri's body was to far away for him to reach. He urged Harri to climb over him so he could reach Harri's dangly part as Harri used to refer to them. So Harri moved facing towards Cyril's feet still kneeling over Cyril who lay flat on the bed apart from the uplifted bottom raised up by Harri's left arm. 

Now that they were positioned Harri directed Cyril's penis into his mouth and softly started sucking. Cyril gasped but reached out with his hands to rub Harri's erected cock. He then lifted his head from the bed and flicked his tongue along the cleft in Harri's bottom. Harri was so taken by surprise that he almost choked on Cyril's cock.    


Harri's cock lashed out in Cyril's hand and he grabbed Harri's pelvis to move Harri slightly back to take Harri's penis into his mouth. Harri had to let go of Cyril's cock for a moment to breath in and then he cried out. “NO. I … I can't … can't hold”. He took Cyril's cock back into his mouth and started to suck so violently while at the same time his cum compelled into Cyril's mouth.   


This triggered Cyril to let loose as well and with only a few minutes apart they both gave in to their orgasms. 

Spent they both collapse and it took some effort on Harri's behalf to turn back to face his lover. To much out of breath they both settled to just hug each other close. Their chests still heaving in the desperate attempt of the lungs to get enough air after the exercise. As soon as they had calmed down sufficiently they kissed. Harri loved the fact that their tongues just a few millimetre apart would created an electrostatic discharge which formed a light bow tickling both their tongues. As soon as their tongues met this was over. So both played with the light bow by flicking their tongues at each other trying to find out how far they could be apart for the light bow still to form.

[ ](http://pics.livejournal.com/j_flattermann/pic/002467fy/)   



	4. Harri's past

Harri was stretched out on his back still fast asleep. Cyril was leaning over him tracing his fingers along his lover's lean shape were only shortly before his lips had laid the path before. Harri wiggled, the trailing finger tickling him into half consciousness. “Hmmm.” Harri hummed his delight but did not open his eyes.

Cyril's fingers got more explorative plucking at Harri's nipples, dipping into the bellybutton and then roaming lower scraping in the hairs on his lower tummy and around his cock. Harri purred and moved his body into the touch. But Cyril suddenly withdrew his hand. 

  
Harri's eyelids fluttered open. He stared into Cyril's gaze. Cyril returned the gaze but neither spoke nor continued the touch. “What?” Harri asked bewildered, “what is wrong? Have I done something wrong?” Cyril quickly noticed that Harri wasn't aware of what he found was lacking. So he sat up next to Harri. “No, I am sorry. No you haven't done anything wrong. It's just ...” Harri's eyes went wide as if in panic. Cyril quickly leaned forward kissing Harri tenderly.    


  
Tears were welling up in Harri's eyes. Cyril lifted him up into his arms. He rocked him soothingly apologising. He kissed away the tears and as Harri calmed down again, he began to explain.   


“I can see that this is all new to you. But I am forgetting this sometimes. You have to forgive me for sometimes being impatient. If I am bowling you over, just tell me please. You see that is exactly the problem I am having. I am doing all the talking, all the showing. But I don't know what you want, what you like. Just because you don't talk to me, don't tell me. All I ask of you is to speak up. Tell me if you like me to touch you, or if you want me to do more or less.” 

  
Harri blushed. Cyril was astonished. “Have I said something wrong?” asked he and Harri violently shook his head but blushed even more. It soon became clear that Harri's reactions were already the utmost utterances of pleasure and delight that was considered acceptable within the Grey society.   


Cyril took it upon him to kindly break to Harri that he expected him, Harri to be more active in their relationship. And he deliberately used the word relationship to make it clear to Harri what he meant to him.

  
Cyril and Harri made a pact. Harri would gradually open up and become more active whilst Cyril would work on being patient and not be to pushy towards Harri. Cyril learnt a bit more about Harri's background and upbringing, as Harri opened up starting to tell Cyril about his life.    


Harri was the offspring of a Black Grey mother. His mother had been a slave in the household of a prominent and influential Grey, a politician in the government of his home galaxy NGC2770 in the Lynx Constellation. Harri too had been born a slave as he was the product of the forced relationship the Grey had with his mother. As Greys and their sub-species matured faster than all other holographic life-forms, Harri had reached full maturity after six years. On his sixth birthday the Grey who was head of the household and had fathered him molested him sexually. When Harri reached the age of eight his mother was beaten up by the same Grey trying to force her to be to his will again. Harri intercepted and injured his father in the fight. That night the Grey returned and killed Harri's mother and raped Harri. He then called the security guards and had Harri locked away for assault and murder. 

Within a few hours Harri had been prosecuted and convicted of the murder of his own mother and was sent off into a high security prison. Now Harri was still very young and live in prison was a tough teacher. The first facility he was sent too was a secret breeding unit, where inmates would be raped to produce offspring. After a short while Harri attacked on of the rapist and injured the Grey. Therefore he was sent to a different prison. Determined not to become the new play toy for the other prisoners again, Harri toughened up and made use of the fact that he was convicted as a murderer. However he got into trouble and was sent to a different facility just as he thought he had got the respect of his inmates.

  
In this fashion Harri went to several of the correction institutions in his home galaxy. As he was imprisoned for life he spent his first ten millennia incarcerated. When the Intergalactic War broke out Harri amongst other prisoners were drafted into service at the front. Persistently he was sent to death missions but not only managed to survive but also accomplish what he was ordered to do. At the end of the War in 8,995 he was returned to prison but got into trouble again. So in 10,014 he was sent to one of the Furnaces where he met Hank. Whilst waiting for his death penalty to be confirmed and performed the first of the Segregarian Wars broke out and his sentence was postponed and he was sent back to war. Again he defied death at the front.    


  
On more than one occasion he was recommended for bravery. Of course a criminal couldn't be given a medal. He was unawares that his execution had been called off and used the confusion after the war to vanish. However soon after was captured again and only the outbreak of the second Segregarian War in 10,018 saved his neck.    


  
Again he exceeded and this time they had to promote him to a senior NCO in the rank of a Flight Sergeant. When the war was over it turned out that he was the only one who had managed to bring his squad through alive. So the UGoAQ ignored the complaints of the Greys government and Harri was taken into the bounty hunter force. He tried to refuse at first but it was either back to prison or becoming a bounty hunter in the Wilderness. So Harri choose the latter.    


  
It took Harri until the 13th millennium to get his status as a slave removed and his conviction lifted as new evidence emerged clearing him of all charges. However the real murderer of his mother was never punished and until now was a member of the Grey's governmental delegation at the UGoAQ.   



	5. Transformation

Cyril and Harri had become very close over the last couple of weeks and Cyril was in earnest contemplating to ask Harri to move in with him. However he was very nervous. Even though he knew Harri much better now, he wasn't sure how the grey mutant would react to such an offer.

Cyril was sure that he was committed to take the next step further into their relationship but with what he knew of Harri's past, he wasn't so sure if Harri was willing to take that step.

It also meant that Cyril had to make some rearrangements within his quarters to support the different requirements of Harri's holographic species. But somehow Cyril regarded this as a minor hiccup and nothing that couldn't be solve easily.

So after turning the idea around and around in his head, Cyril decided to take actions. He started with the remodelling of his quarters to make them fit for Harri's longterm stay. At least he hoped that Harri would consider it, seeing the effort Cyril had made with the living quarters and he also hoped that it would convince Harri that he, Cyril, was quite serious about them as a couple.

Harri who at first had tried to get his damaged flyer repaired soon had to admit defeat. His flyer was damaged beyond repair. He had stripped the space-craft off all undamaged equipment and the rest he sold to the recycling yard. However the scrap value of the flyer was too small and even the sale of some of his equipment produced not enough funds to buy even an used flyer specially friendship-priced by Joel and Lom. It was no good.

Cyril had offered to give him the missing amount, but Harri had rejected even as Cyril added that it would be a loan. However the last weeks their friendship had developed and now had reached the next level. Harri had opened up, told Cyril about his past and made him understand why he was so shy. Cyril thereupon had changed his strategy and with it won Harri's heart. He had won Harri's trust.

With Cyril's support Harri had gained more confidence and had begun to tell Cyril of his wishes and needs, especially when it came to his own pleasure in bed. Cyril was trying to ask Harri for two weeks now and every time had bailed. Harri sensed that there was something nagging his doctor and he also noticed the changes Cyril had made to the living quarters. Great efforts had gone into their bedroom especially as Cyril required alcove connections whilst Harri needed a proper bed to stretch out and sleep. Cyril had long talks with Gene on the construction of his “special” room and the wireless connection to the alcove database seemed a very good solution to Cyril. With wireless Harri hadn't the problem to get entangled into any devices Cyril needed for his recharging and back-up process. Next to the bedroom he had a proper bathroom installed for Harri's perusal. The kitchen had been extended to make room for cool and frozen storage of Harri's food supplies and also the necessary food processing equipment for cooking Harri's meals had been installed.

All in state of the art modern and latest technology that was to have. Harri had registered the changes with joy and had worked up the guts to show Cyril how much he appreciated the efforts made.

Still Cyril was afraid to propose fearing he would make Harri shy away again. Each morning he told himself “Today. Today I ask him.” Came evening he had driven himself into a right state with all the worries that Harri would just run out on him. Cyril was wracking his brain and only on the evening Harri had dragged him into their new bedroom and taken all the initiative, Cyril worked up the nerve and told Harri that he would want him to stay. Forever.

Harri still panting, sat up in bed. “Are you sure? You want me to stay with you?” Cyril had nodded and then almost inaudibly whispered “I love you.” Harri had beamed. His eyes sparkled and he flung himself onto Cyril. “Yes. Yes. I love you too.” Then Cyril had owned up to his struggles and Harri had apologised that he had made it so hard for his lover to come forward. Cyril had produced a little box from the nightstand's drawer and handed it over to Harri. It contained two shiny rings with their names engraved on the inside. “I have nicked the idea from Hank and Gene.” Cyril confessed. “I found it very touching when they told me. And I love the symbolism.”

Harri hadn't faltered for one second and pulled Cyril's ring out of the box, fished for Cyril's hand and pushed the ring over the ring finger of the left hand. Full of joy he stretched out his hand expecting Cyril to do likewise and he wasn't disappointed as Cyril didn't hesitate but followed Harri's lead.

They had more sex after the exchange of the rings as sort of celebration and then Harri had been very, very exhausted and they had decided to rest. Cyril used to his alcove resting standing up had found the rest in lying position very soothing and had begun to close his eyes as well in a direct copy of Harri's resting position.

All the excitement of the evening made Harri tired but also restless and some time in the middle of the night he found he could stay in bed but had to move. He got up feeling very queazy and strange. He was wondering if he had eaten one of the food pouches with the shelf-life out of date, but couldn't remember. Feeling very sick he stumbled as quietly as possible into the en-suite. He found he struggled turning the lights on and when he finally managed and looked into the mirror he wanted to scream.

Out of the mirror the face of a brown grey stared back with the strangely shaped face and huge eyes. He looked down and noticed the changed fingers and all his beloved sexual dangly parts were gone. Instead his body had resumed the gill-shaped sexual parts so typical for the Greys and all their subspecies.

Harri was in shock. He stumbled out of the bath room and ran out of the house. He ran all the way to the science lab Cyril was working at during the daytime hours. He panicked. Nobody should see him like this, especially not Cyril. Cyril would look at him in disgust. Harri rushed into the lab. There must be something to be done to reverse the transformation again. He couldn't loose Cyril not now. Not just now that he had found him, loved him. That they had agreed to stay together and love each other forever.

Harri stumbled into Cyril's office switching on the computer. In his panic he had forgotten that the lab ran nightshifts and so he found himself soon staring into the faces of the scientists working there. Harri didn't know where the weapon had come from the only thing he later remembered that it was suddenly in his hand. All he had wanted was to be left alone but now more and more scientists came running as one of the female scientists screamed out loud. With no other option Harri drove them all together like a herd of sheep. Locking them into Cyril's office. Of course none of the scientists recognised him for his transformation.

What could he do? What was to do?

He needed time. Time to think.

He went and locked the front door. Who could he talk to? Who would understand? Possibly know what was to be done?

GENE. HANK.

Harri dashed to the main communicator when from out doors a voice through a loud speaker ordered him to give himself up. 


	6. Trouble

Cyril stood thunderstruck, immobilised. Harri had barricaded himself inside the main laboratory of the science outlet on the planet Rhea in the Titans system within the Wilderness. Even worse Harri had taken the lab staff hostage and he was armed. Cyril had tried to calm his new friend down but Harri had made it clear that he wouldn’t see him. A fact that had shaken the young scientist. Of course Cyril knew that he couldn’t claim to have a long-term relationship with the young headhunter. They had only recently met, not yet established a deep friendship.   
However this was what Cyril secretly had hoped for, a deep friendship perhaps even more. But now all his hopes and dreams seemed to have evaporated. 

Little did Cyril know that inside the building a young brown-grey hologram went through an agony of emotions every time he saw his reflection. It caused him to flinch whenever his eyes fell upon him. If his multi-faceted eyes had had a tear gland he certainly would have wept bitter tears.   
Harri was devastated, just when his luck seemed to have taken a turn to the better, he was thrown back into the darkness he had tried so hard to escape from. When after his accident his body had changed his form, he had rejoiced. And now …   
If he could only think of someone to be able to help. Like a lightning bolt the idea flashed through his brain - Gene and Hank. Of course they had been the ones who had created his new body. They certainly should be able to give it back to him.   
Pushing the button to the tannoy system of the site, Harri announced that he wanted to see Gene and Hank.

Little did Harri know how much this announcement hurt Cyril standing outside listening to his friends request. Why them? Why not me? He paced up and down the pavement outside the laboratory complex, wringing his hands until some of his staff brought him a megaphone. “We will contact Gene and Hank immediately, Harri.” He heard himself shout, “Please, don’t make the situation worse. Release the staff, please Harri. I will try to help you as best as I can.” He pleaded. He hoped he handled the situation right and was able to win the trust of the hologram which he so had hoped to call his friend and that obviously had a break down.   
But no answer came from inside so Cyril had to admit defeat.   
Giving the order that Gene and Hank should be summoned, he withdrew back into his musings.   
He never would have thought that the Harri he had been so magically drawn to, would try to resolve his problems with violent behaviour. It didn’t sit right. There must be a deeper meaning, reason behind this.

Cyril began to wonder what had made him change his mind and open himself up to the strange hologram called Harri. He had a bundle of bad experience and even had sworn to himself never ever to get involved again. Still when he had met Harri something inside him had felt warm and fuzzy and he had begun to hope again.   
But now even after he had tried to start the negotiations, Harri had point blank refused to see him, speak to him. Instead he had insisted that the only people he would allow to come inside the building and talk to him were Gene and Hank. This statement had hurt Cyril more than he liked to admit.    
So when Gene and Hank arrived at the scene he was harsher than planned and snapped at the two. “He wants to see you, speak to you. You get that situation sorted and fast. Otherwise I have to involve Universe Security. You get me?!”   
Strangely enough the two were not the least upset by his reaction but rather understanding.   
“Leave it to us.” Gene had said and Hank had added “Let us go inside and evaluate the situation first. We will try to solve this and keep you in the know at all times.”   
They had asked him to remain on stand-by and most importantly of all disperse the gathering crowds before somebody could possibly try something stupid.   
The remarks of the two, just now vanishing through the glass doors into the lab complex, were enough to let him snap out of his lethargy and take action. With a firm voice Cyril demanded the crowd of onlookers to leave and rather gather in the main canteen on site.    
To his astonishment and great relief the things inside the lab seemed to have taken a different, positive course, for the doors were opened by Hank and out rushed all of the staff that had been taken hostage. Cyril was quick to make sure that the holograms now streaming out of the building were getting a health check and then would join the gathered colleagues within the canteen.

Cyril was glad to take action. What was harder to handle had been the minutes of inactivity when his mind had painted pictures of unspeakable horror all surrounding Harri, whom he had last seen wielding a weapon. Harri who had seemed changed, looked different, confused. How much he had wished to run over, to take him into his arms, promising him that together they would overcome whatever was troubling Harri. He was ready to push every obstacle out of their way. If only …   
Cyril shuddered at the thought; if only Harri would not turn that weapon against himself.   
If only he had a chance to get close to Harri. But every time he had tried to come close the young dark-grey had fled in a panic fit.   
Cyril had flinched in pain seeing him run away, shunning him. The cold grip around his heart had caused him to wince in pain.

After what seemed to be hours the door to the lab complex opened again and Hank’s head appeared sporting a grin. He beckoned Cyril to come closer. Cyril had to hold back not to break into a run, to run past Hank and inside. Inside where Harri was.   
However as soon as he reached Hank, he was pulled by his arm and led inside the lobby.   
Cyril tried hard to focus on the words that came out of Hank’s mouth. Somewhat dull as filtered through cotton-wool the voice of Hank penetrated his ear. However to him they were only noise, no sense to be made of. Cyril shook his head as if to wake up from a bad dream. Hank still holding him by his arm seemed somehow to understand and patiently and calmly repeated everything he had said over and over until the look in Cyril’s eyes signalled and confirmed that Cyril had grasped and understood what Hank had been saying.

Numb from all the worries and pain inflicted Cyril allowed Hank to lead him away by his arm until they reached the main laboratory. There at the end of a large desk sat Harri, his four-fingered hands hiding away his face not daring to look up and meet Cyril’s eyes, which were constantly fixed on the young brown-grey as soon as he had come into view. Only when Gene moved Cyril became aware that he had crouched on the floor before the hunched figure on the chair.   
Cyril watched like in slow-motion how Gene got up and moved away from Harri, to come over and meet him.   
Cyril noticed how Gene’s gaze met with Hank’s, he registered the shake of Hank’s head. However his entire concentration, being, life was fixed on the shapeless form on the chair. His mouth too dry to say a word he couldn’t stop himself from moving forward, eyes firmly fixed on the object of his desire, his goal. He walked past Gene like a sleepwalker. Little did he notice how Hank held Gene back, prohibiting his friend of holding Cyril back.

What seemed slowly to Cyril was rather a rush. He rushed over, knelt down and sitting down on his heels, gently reached out and took Harri’s hands, pulling them slowly away from the dark-grey’s face. His eyes were fixed on the brown-grey’s multifaceted ones, pleading.   
Inside Cyril raged a storm of emotions, however nothing was seen on the outside as his face remained calm. Only the tears stinging in his eyes and his racing pulse betrayed his anxiety.   
Not able to speak Cyril remained sitting in front of Harri just holding his hands, squeezing them gently or rubbing them with his thumbs.   
Gene seemingly appeared to become very nervous but Hank held him back. “I think they’re all right.” He simply said. He took Gene by the hand and together they left the room. Left behind were Cyril and Harri immobile just looking at each other, holding hands remained.

Oblivious to the two Gene and Hank had left the lab.    
At first Cyril and Harri spoke no word, their throats too tight, all they could do was looking at each other. The touch of his hands and the soothing rubbing of the thumbs had enabled Harri to raise his head and to return the look. Cyril had continued to hold Harri’s hands firmly in his own, not shunning the look into Harri’s face.   
It was Harri who broke the silence first.   
“Don’t look at me. I’m ugly.” He said in a shaky voice that made Cyril swallow hard against his tears. Knowing that in his present form Harri couldn’t weep, he fought back his own tears, but this meant as well that he was not able to speak. Instead he squeezed Harri’s four-fingered hands once more and shook his head. Cyril raised Harri’s hands with the long claw-like fingers, one functioning as a thumb and three opposite, to his lips and kissed them gently.   
Despite him not being able to cry, Harri’s voice was very much affected, weak and shaky it cracked up every now and again.   
“But … I changed back. Changed … to this. How can you …” He didn’t got further because Cyril’s hand sealed his lipless mouth.   
Cyril finally was able to speak after a lot of swallowing, not afraid to show the emotions that affected his voice anymore.   
“It is still you, Harri. Don’t you forget that I always knew what the ‘old’ Harri ought to look like?” He took a deep breath. “So why, Harri … Why did you ran from me? Why didn’t you trust me to help you?” Now tears were running over Cyril’s cheeks.   
Harri looked at him and shook his head. “I was so scared. I panicked.” He freed one of his hands and softly brushed away the tear stain on Cyril’s face. “I thought … I thought you wouldn’t wanted anything to do with me …  looking like this.” Harri’s throat escaped a long wailing sound as he tried to bury his face into his hands again. However Cyril prevented him from doing so by taking hold of the hands. “We sort this. Together we will find a way. We will manage.” Cyril said. “You are sure you want to turn back … leave this body behind … forever? You are clear about what you want?” Harri nodded.   
“I am very sure. What I don’t want is this.” He moved his hands pointing at himself and his body. “Cyril? Do you really think … do you believe we are able to reverse …” Harri shuddered.   
“You can’t imagine … the shock … I woke up this morning and went for a wee. I passed the mirror and …” Shaking his head his voice gaged in his throat.   
“What if I have to … Oh Cyril … I don’t … Please …”   
“Oh, Harri. No, please, don’t get upset. We will find a solution, I promise.” Cyril said and looking around searching for Gene and Hank added, “I am sure Gene and Hank are going to help us as well. Where are they?”

He got up and stroke along the long and hairless chaw of Harri. “I’m going to get them. You stay here my love.” He bent down and pressed his lips on Harri’s mouth. Then he turned and walked to the door. Reaching the door he turned again and gave Harri a encouraging nod and blew him a kiss, then he walked out shouting for Gene and Hank.


	7. Seeking Solutions

Somehow I had the feeling that my words weren’t hitting home. I was glad when Gene and Hank showed in the door of the lab again. I waved them to come over to join Harri and myself.  
“Gene. Hank. Come over, please. Could I have a word?”  
The two nodded and came. I spoke loud enough for Harri to get every word spoken, for in a way they were rather intended for him. He sat still all sunken and sulking in the chair.  
“He’s got himself into a right mess with this and it will take me quite a bit until I have all that sorted again. I would appreciate if you two could take him back to Crius with you. At least for the time being until I have set things right. I hope this will only be a short while. He’s given me to understand that he doesn’t want to stay like this by all means if you can help him to get the body back he wants, I would be very much obliged, even though it doesn’t matter to me if he’s mutated or in this, his original form. For me he’s Harri no matter what bodily shape he has. I love him, you know. But he’s not happy and all that matters for me is to see him happy. He told me that his body changed after you two rescued him. Is it possible that you can reverse, I mean …”  
There both grinned and nodded, patting my shoulder. “Sure. We’ll try.” Gene said.  
“Oh, good. I am certain, he will be able to tell exactly what he wants. In the meantime let me know what I can do. But first let me sort this mess. We all don’t want him to be sent to prison again and he has caused quite some trouble with this. But nevermind, I shall find a way. As for that change in his body. It seems to me that he had hoped that the change he underwent would be lasting. What do you think needs doing to make that happen for him? Is there someone that needs contacting?” I turned around look at Harri. “Is that all OK with you, love?” I asked him.  
He looked up at me and his head changed colour to a deep dark brown and suddenly I realised that this was his way of blushing. Somehow it seemed to have sunken in what he had done. He looked at me, with what seemed to me a very sad face and nodded. He kept his eyes firmly fixed on me.  
I smiled at him, walked over and took his hand in mine. “OK. Guys, I trust you with my most valuable treasure.” I squeezed Harri’s hand. “Keep him safe, please. I shall be swift to get everything fixed. Then I will come for you, my darling, as fast as I can. OK?”   
Harri didn’t reply but squeezed my hand in return. Gene and Hank smiled at us.  
“Listen! If I can’t sort this mess. Harri, this is only worst case scenario, don’t worry. But if …  
I want you to go into hiding. Gene, Hank, promise me that you make sure he gets into safety. Keep him out of prison by all means. Harri. Love.” I knelt before him. “Please, promise me that you go and hide as soon as I give word. I promise I will come after you. I will find you.”  
Again he didn’t speak but nodded his head firmly to signal he had understood and promised to do as I said. Gene and Hank promised too. “Not to worry, Cyril. We’ll keep him safe. Promise.” Hank said patting my shoulder.  
I hugged Harri one last time and kissed him on his mouth despite him freezing. Then I urged them to leave immediately. I would go out of the lab first to distract who was left out there from their departure. 

 

So I left the lab-complex first steering the last remaining onlookers towards the canteen to join up with the rest of the science team here on Rhea. As I am arriving at the main canteen I learn that our senior officer Professor McNeell has taken matters in hand already and unfortunately not in the way I would have hoped for or handled them myself.   
Instead Professor Dr. Kain McNeell and his assistant MEng Haim van Wedd have informed the Universe Police Force (UPF). Van Wedd tells me with a sneer in his voice that the Professor has contacted the Chief Commissioner Ehan Wohathon personally and has asked for a warrant to be issued. Whoathon has contacted his subordinate to inform all police and headhunter outpost in the entire universe calling for the arrest of Harri and everyone who is helping the fugitive. 

 

I am fuming with anger especially as I am told that a fairly high reward has been put on Harri’s head. I silently curse the Professor and his cowardly right-hand man. Damn them, both!  
Where had the Professor and his bloody lackey been when the crisis started? Now that they were in no danger of getting hurt they were risking a big mouth.   
As everybody gathered around the Professor and thus being distracted and even Haim taking no heed of me anymore, I am slipping out of the canteen unseen to rush over to the lab-complex and into my office.  
I am planning to make some calls, see if I can’t turn this thing around. My first call, however is to warn Harri, Gene and Hank of course. “Hi guys! Listen, the Professor has taken things in his own hands and not the way we like it.” I inform them. “He’s contacted the Chief Police Commissioner on Terra. Asked for a warrant to be issued against Harri and all that help him.” Gene is on the other end and I can see Hank sitting next to Harri in the background, trying to calm my poor love. My heart pains me seeing Harri in such a state. What makes it worse is the fact that I can’t be with him, at least not for now. I promise myself and the guys that I will leave no stone upturned and do my utmost to get wheels in motion to change the situation to our benefit.  
I was grateful to learn that not all things looked as bleak as Gene informed me that Hank and he had found a solution to reverse Harri’s transformation if only temporary. Harri of course would have to undergo the procedure each morning as the central programming would switch him back to his origin every night. However there was the possibility of making the mutation permanent. This of course required a new programming of the central computer.   
I groaned, knowing that the location of the central computer was unknown and in millennia no official had attempted to log into the database there.  
That was when Hank came to the monitor with a cheeky grin splitting his face.  
“I’ve done it!” He said proudly. “It’s been a while, actually some centuries ago, but I am sure I still have my notes somewhere.”  
I must have had a very dumbfounded look on my face for Hank started to explain that when he had become a fugitive after the last war, he had changed his appearance by accessing the central database in the main computer.  
As Harri had explicitly asked him to hunt for his notes, Hank had promised to do his best.  
This gave me hope to think that possibly all could and would end well and Harri would see his wishes fulfilled.

 

After the call I felt slightly better however there was still much to be done. Next call on my list was to a friend of mine, whom I knew from school. He was working as a police commissioner, not as high up in hierarchy as the Professor’s contact but still good enough. I hoped at least he could give me some information on how to proceed the case.   
However I only reached Norm’s assistant who told me that Commissioner Krugfeas was out of office and not due back until tomorrow. I couldn’t wait that long.

 

Luckily I remembered that I had met a woman during my days at university with whom I had shared several courses for one semester. Rosa had been in need to read science as she wanted to become a forensic scientist with the police force. Digging out the number she had given me the last time we’ve met I gave it a try.   
This time I struck gold and soon I had Rosa Grimit-Smith on the monitor. She smiled when seeing me and greeted me friendly. I soon learnt that she had been given the lead of the forensic department at the UPF and had been made Chief Commissioner for the section.   
I began to tell her what had happened and that I needed her advice. She listened calmly to my explanations. After I had finished she began to ask some specific questions to get a more detail perception of what the case was build upon.   
“So you’re saying that your friend is a grey mutant, Cyril?” I confirmed. “And during this - let’s call it EPISODE - nobody was injured at all?” Again I stated to the positive.   
“Hm … Strange … Oh! I was just wondering, Cyril. For normally all Greys and their subspecies are infamous for their aggressiveness and their ultra violent behaviour especially when under great stress.”   
“But he didn’t hurt anybody. I know it for I was there. I had all the hostages checked, medically. Nothing apart from a slight shock. He even released all the hostages after fifteen minutes without troubles. … I know, Rosa, that the fact that he wielded a weapon is not to his benefit. But he is not bad, not in his core. I simply can’t bring myself to believe that he would have used it at all.”

 

“Hm! You’ve said they have raised a warrant. Might be a bit harsh, but then again you said he had done time before.”   
“Yes, but Rosa, he had been wrongly accused. His dossier confirms it.”   
“Give me a minute, I will pull his dossier up and have a look. … Hm, you’re right. This looks rather phoney. He was scapegoated and even after the clearance of his name there was a huge cover-up going on.”   
“See, that’s what I’m saying.” I almost shouted.   
“You do like the fella, do you?” She said with a bigger smile than before. “I take that he could be convinced to come to the station for a briefing, could he?”   
“YES, YES! I’m sure. I am positive that I can arrange that.”   
“OK! First things first! Cyril, old boy, listen carefully.” She said.


	8. Back Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _This chapter is the real here and now, whilst the others were Cyril's memories of how he and Harri had met._

Ever since we had returned from Willman 88 Alpha, the medical facility, Cyril had these phases of great sadness.

Often he tried to hide them from me, but to no avail of course.

Just now as I came back from the kitchen, the one in our old home on Rhea in the Titans system, where we had found refuge after the destruction of the science facility on Algalon, where I had almost lost my dearly beloved Cyril and me not returning to my HQ on Atropos after the incident. But I’m rambling.

Just now I entered our bedroom with a tray of food in my hands as I had started to eat my meals at Cyril’s bed side whilst he was on the power charger. A habit I had started whilst Cyril had been at the medical centre on Willman 88, shortly after his rescue from U5, where the pirates had held him and other members of his staff captive. 

Oh my, I am rambling again. 

As I entered the room I got a right shock and I almost dropped the tray. My beloved Cyril was sitting on his bed and in my worry I failed to notice that he sat up unsupported, something he had not been able to do before.

Don’t ramble Harri, just get on with it.

OK! I just so managed to shove the tray onto a sideboard and then started to run. Cyril was shaking violently. He looked as white as the walls of that damn hospital ward he had been released from just a week ago, the ward where he had had spent months recovering and yet after the release he still wasn’t healed. It was just that they couldn’t do anything else for him. 

He startled as I wrapped my arms around him, held him, pulled him close to my chest. His clouded eyes, the far-away look, took some time to clear and to come back to me and reality, but finally he was back in the here and then.

He looked at me and then a shiver ran over his body.

“What is with you, my love? What is troubling you?” 

“I was thinking back of the time when we met first.” He explained and again had this faraway look on his face.

“Which part?” I asked and must have blushed for suddenly he smiled.

“From our beginnings. How we first met and then further to the time when you got into trouble because of the change ...”

I placed my finger on his mouth.

“Don’t! Please , don’t. I was very foolish then. Please let us put all this behind us, love. I want us to make a fresh start, start all over again. 

As I spoke I pressed him close to my heart and then whispered into his ear “Let’s make plans for the future. Our future. Together, You and I.”

He looked at me with the saddest of smiles on his face.

“Before that ...” I carried on and his smile vanished and a worrying frown took it’s place.

However, I ignored that and continued.

“Before that I want to ask a favour of you. Please will you revoke that order to prohibit your cloning. Call that off please, once and for all. You certainly must know what I am speaking off and why.” I said with a stern voice. I wanted, needed to show him that I was very serious about that matter.

He nodded, of course he knew what I was talking about, his decision not to allow any cloning of his database or body. 

When I insisted and asked if he felt strong enough to get through all the paperwork and official hearings, he just shrugged and suddenly I was worried that he was still too weak to undertake all the efforts required. 

“I shall contact these lawyers again. The ones that assisted us before.” I declared not willing to let the matter drop so easily. I was too worried to loose him. I still shuddered at the thought that I almost had. 

I was sure that he would remember which lawyers I was referring to. 

“I shall ask them to come and see us and then we can get them do all the footwork for us and setting up the legal documentation, so that in the end you only have to sign and all will go its own way. I’m certain they can take care of it all. What do you say, my love? Can you agree to that?”

He smiled back at me very much trying to look confident. Unfortunately it only showed how frail he still was. 

Even if we got the revoke, he would never be able to go through the treatment, the retrieval of the data and the clone-copying of his body and I was painfully aware of that.

The cloning would have to wait until he was in a better shape, however, the legal step, I was certain, could already be taken care of and I was not willing to let that slide.

“I already have contacted them.” He said. “I had sent a message out to them whilst I was still in hospital.”

I felt tears filling my eyes. I was so relieved. I could barely speak to thank him and so I leaned forward and kissed his lips. His lips so warm, soft and moist.

A great longing for him came over me but I had to forcefully held back as I knew he was not in the condition yet for us to share pleasures as we used to in the past.

However, at that point in time I was not aware what his enigmatic “I have contacted them” meant. So we just held each other and kissed again and again.

With him so frail, so thin, in my arms all the anxieties and fears of the past months washed over me and I started to sob.

All this grief and worries, the feeling of having lost him forever claimed me and I lay in his arms crying for all the woe I had felt when he had been lost, dead as I had been believing.

He gently stroke my hair as he allowed me to deal with my grief and the relief to have him back in my arms, back in my life.

In the weeks that followed he suffered from depressions and upon my urge confessed to feeling guilty for being the only survivor of the inferno on Algalon and furthermore having survived the incarceration and maltreatment when held hostage in the pirates’ lair.

“It was the thought of you that made me holding on to life.” He confessed more than once. Still the gloom would not be banished easily no matter how often I tried to cheer him up.

As soon as he was strong enough to come out of his alcove's confinement at least for a short time each day, I wrapped him in a warm coat and took him with me to Algalon.

Fearing him to be too weak to walk I carried him all the way from my flyer to the memorial.

He was so light, weighted almost nothing and I had to fight back my tears again as I was reminded of how close I had come to loose him.

When we reached the stele that had been placed on the site of his former science station, exactly on the spot where the offices and laboratories had been, he insisted to stand on his own.

There on the commemorating pillar all the names of the scientists deemed killed in the attack were listed in sliver inlaid letters on the black granite. The first name on the long list was my Cyril’s own. 

He leaned hard on my shoulder as he went through all the names again and again. Even the names of the scientists died in U5 were listed as the presumption had been that they had been killed in the blast that had torn the two planet that held the outpost and ruptured Algalon the home of the science headquarter. In the end his eyes stopped at his own name again and as he stared he squeezed my hand.

“Oh, my own here. Oh my own, Harri.” He stammered. “What must have you been through, which pain have you endured. Seeing this ...” His voice failed him as he began to cry.

“All those lives. Those young peoples lives.” He whispered endlessly.

I held him, caught him in my arms as I feared he might fall. 

“It wasn’t your fault.” I said, “You couldn’t have prevented it. It wasn’t your fault. It all came far too sudden, even I was unawares and I should have known, for it is my business to know.”

After this visit the black moods grew less frequent, however they never did vanish entirely. 

Several weeks later we both were invited to Gene and Hank’s sons maturing party.

Sidetracked by the activities and helping with planing and organisation of the party, I forgot to ask him about the lawyers, who had not contacted us in the meantime.

During my active participation with the preparations for Ash's and Peer’s great day, whilst at the same time trying hard to keep an eye on Cyril and keeping him up-to-date with the progress we were making to make the boys’ day special, I was trying to fight my fears. 

Making sure that Cyril did not felt left out I included him in the help with restructuring Gene and Hank’s home to accommodate for the two young men, who with comming of age would certainly want their own places and to be at liberty to come and go as they wished.

Cyril was consulted during each stage of the planning and his advice and opinion went into many parts of the final construction. Despite him still being tied to his alcove for the majority of the day, he was very much involved and when we had everything ready he was the first to see what we had built. 

Despite the doctors ongoing best efforts, we had to call at Willman 88 twice a week, his device would not pick up any wireless signals and even charging in his alcove never led to him being on full power. The maximum level he could reach was always at 50 percent. Also the charging process itself was very slow and often it seemed to me that he was using up more power during charging then when he just rested.

This was one of the factors why I was keeping a close eye on him where ever we went, as I always worried he might run out of power.

The opinion of the doctors on Willman 88 was that his mobile device was too badly damaged but at the same time they were not able to find a way to make it work again. To me it seemed that with each day Cyril had to go onto the recharger longer and more often.

Each time we were visiting Gene and Hank I was a bit more at ease for I knew the two had the proper equipment installed to keep Cyril’s energy problem in control. It was the reason why I agreed to our participation at the party for the boys and of course because I hoped that it would offer enough distraction for Cyril to take his mind off things at least for a short while.

With Cyril being in such a state of weakness going to work was out of the question and the boredom it brought with it was having a great influence on his depressions, increasing them. Therefore I decided to build a small lab in our home where he could spend the few hours each day he was allowed out of the alcove with busying himself.

Still the nagging feeling in the back of my head remained and often I thought that he was rather researching how to end his misery than really working on the science project of the hour. 

With him being so fragile, I had not picked up my line of work again, but rather handed the leadership over to Hank, who gladly and very efficiently took over, even though he protested in the beginning, not willing to deprive me of my job.

I don’t miss work, not at the moment, that is.

Looking after Cyril, making sure he is not overdoing things, keeps me on my toes, especially as I try to avoid to appear overbearingly overprotective.

As of late Gene is visiting us more often and only today he appeared announcing that he would stay over for a couple of days. The boys are at college and Hank is on business tour inspecting all the headhunter outposts.

Gene came in proclaiming that he was in need of some advice in regards of the technical equipment that should go into the boy’ new flyers.

I decided to leave that discussion to the two of them but soon Cyril called out for me and both asked for my opinion.

Even more so as Gene had brought a present from the boys for Cyril. “The boys have made it. Worked on it after hours for several weeks now.” He explained and Cyril held out his hand that held a small parcel.

“Ash and Peer instructed me to tell you that you have to read their letter first.” 

This time the letter was handed to me by Gene.

Now reading is a bit hard on Cyril’s processors. His computer we have switched onto voice mode. This means that the computer reads texts out to him and if he has to write something he can dictate, if not using the communicator and do it in a voice message.

So I’ll take the letter of Gene and read it out loud. 

Basically it says that the boys have produced a clip-on device which then connects to Cyril’s mobile transmitter. It works like an additional battery only much stronger and rechargeable. The letter gives exact instructions how the device should be connected and whilst I am reading it out Gene helps Cyril with the installation.

The boys write that after attaching the new device to Cyril’s existing one he should retreat for several hours into his alcove to charge the new device and this way preventing it  from drawing energy from the defective part. They also tell me that the new equipment enhances the ability of the old device to reconnect to the wireless. As Cyril is still in his alcove we have nothing to worry so far.

On top I am glad that we do have wireless in place in every room in the house, even in my flyer. So if the new kit is working then Cyril should be much more mobile again.

He is so happy and Gene so proud that I am hiding my skepticism.  Still I have to see that thing working  before I am convinced.

On the day Gene leaves we’re following after apart from a little detour to the doctors again.  We are hailing Gene on the intercom and agree to be at his house in two hours that should give us enough time to go to Willman 88 and back. 

In a way this is the first testing of the new accumulator/wifi-receiver. For we all have agreed that as soon as we are reaching Gene’s home, we will switch-off Cyril’s connection to the alcove and see if the new kit picks up the wifi-signal and keeps Cyril recharged.

At the same time, if the boys contraption should fail, then Cyril can retreat into one of the guest alcoves in Gene and Hank’s abode.

With this for an back-up plan I feel a bit safer and calmer, still I find myself checking Cyril’s power levels ever so often.

The visit to the medical facility has led to no further improvement and Cyril comes out from the doctors very downcast and I can feel that he is struggling not to give in to his depressions again. I only hope that seeing the ‘old’ gang a little later will raise his spirits and that the boys’ party will not exhaust him too much. 

The doctors on Willman have labeled Cyril’s condition as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and he has been given a health certificate confirming that he is only fit for light duty. Since the attack on Algalon and his imprisonment at the pirates’ lair, I fear that he has lost his will to live. Being the sole survivor of all those atrocities  has left Cyril deeply scared and there is something hanging in the air I am afraid of and yet I cannot say what it actually is.

When I took him to the memorial on the site of his former science station I had hoped that it would make clear to him that not only nobody blamed him but that his survival was seen as a sign of hope. Especially as it was in so much so seen as a miracle.

To add to this Gene had made it quite clear on his return and providing the explanations how Cyril was found, that it had been a mere coincidence. The original plan had never included to land on the pirates’ planet and search their headquarters but rather to remotely destroy it. Hadn’t it been for the technical failure of the bombs we would never had known that some members of the lab staff had been taken hostage and imprisoned there at all. 

Unfortunately my sad attempt on playing psychologist went rather bad and not only did the visit nothing for Cyril’s mindset but rather worsened his condition.

However the boys’ party proves to be the better way and for a short while Cyril’s spirits are lifted and he seems to enjoy himself. Adding to the positive effect was of course the fact that the boys’ device was working perfectly. Seeing Cyril’s enthusiasm grabbed my heart in such a way that I almost burst into tears. So I decided that I better separated myself from the group of friends for a while not to dampen their fun. Seeking solitude I stepped out of the house onto the verandah, standing, staring out into the blackness of the Universe.

Tears were stinging my eyes and choking in my throat. For the first time after the incidents I was hoping against hope. Maybe ... Maybe after this party ... I hardly dared to speak the thought, but possibly after this party and with the new device working so well, Cyril would come around and the depressions would cease.

Hank had seen me leaving but if anybody else he was the one who could emphasis what I was going through. So he distracted the others whilst I made my escape.

In the end it was Cyril who found and joined me out there in the dark.

“You are missing the unwrapping of the gifts.” He said in a soft voice and with his slow approach gave me time to wipe away the stains on my face.

As he stopped at my side his hand dropped onto mine on the railing and for a while we were just standing there quiet, staring out into the endless darkness. 

I did not turn but just gently squeezed his hand in recognition and gently asked “Are you tired? Do you want to go home?” I fought hard to check the worried tones in my voice not to annoy him.

I could feel his deep sigh.

“Not yet.” He said. “Let’s stay for a little longer.” and I nodded.

We fell silent again for a moment as I was fighting the urge to tell him he should go easy on himself. He must have felt my struggle for he spoke with a smile in his voice.  “I promise not to overly exhaust myself.”

This hit my stomach hard and I almost broke down crying out loud.

His hand slipped out of mine as he turned away to return to the festive crowd.

“Are you coming?” He asked when he had reached the door.

“In a moment, my love. In a moment.”

It took me several more minutes until I was able to face the happy community of friends again. 

Only when the young members of the gathering begged for opening the dance floor and after I had revealed my present for the two boys now young men, which was a private gig of their favourite band showing up for the party, we, Cyril and I finally took our leave.

Of course everyone and especially Peer and Ash tried to persuade us to stay, Gene and Hank even offering us the possibility to stay over, but Cyril declined, claiming that he rested better in his own bed.

He was extremely quiet on the way back home and secretly I logged in to his data log to check if there were any signs of power-loss, but that wasn’t the case.

Still he sat seemingly very introspect to me as if he was pondering upon something important. I concentrated on the flight but I admit that seeing him like this scared the shit out of me.

It wasn’t the first time that I wished that I had a mind-reading device at hand. This thought made me grin for I knew that the government would have had their saying to a thing as such. 

When we arrived back home he immediately retreated to the bedroom. 

“Do you want me to hook you up to your alcove?” I asked unnecessarily just to break the silence, but he shook his head and busied himself with doing it on his own.

I was biting my lip. There it was again, this something in the air, that word unspoken between us.

Since he had been found and even after his return home we had not been together in bed as I had been afraid that this would be too dangerous for him. However, now as he sat down on the bed, he patted the mattress next to him and waved me over to join him. I swallowed hard, being sexually frustrated for having him so near and yet forcing myself to be abstinent out of fear to harm him. 

Nevertheless I sat down as he was very insistent and as soon as I sat he pulled me close into a cuddle.

“Please.” I whispered and again tears were welling up for which I began to hate myself. Since when had I become so overly emotional? However, I feared that I could not hold back my lusting for him, afraid that it might overwhelm me and I was to do something stupid and outright bad for him. He was still so very fragile and it showed in the thinness of his holographic layer.

The shock that then followed from the conversation we had was almost unbearable for me, even though I admit that I had expected this to happen for some time now.

The breadth and length of it was that he’d asked my permission to shut himself down. He explained that he had taken all legal steps to protect me. Which of course hit me hard and made clear why the lawyers never had come back with all the documents for the cloning. He admitted that he never had planned to revoke this initial paper. 

I was glad that I was sitting for the realisation of his request would have knocked the feet from under me. However, as it was I pulled free from his embrace, staring at him at first unable to reply, only shaking my head in negation.

HOW ... HOW COULD HE... How could he ask this of me? Didn’t he knew that he was - is - and always will be my one and only love? My heart, my entire existence was totally and entirely his. There had never been anybody before him and I knew that there would never be anyone after him either. 

When I finally found my voice again, all I could do was plea. 

“Don’t do this to me, love. I begging you. Not now.” I was still hoping to convince him to a cloning treatment and now with the boys’ device working so well, there was at least a chance if he only would agree, I argued.

But my Cyril shook his head.

“I don’t think I want that, Harri.” He simply said and I could help it but began to whimper against my will.

“Please, Cyril. Please.” Was all I could utter.

He reached out holding my hands, locking his eyes with mine.

“Harri.” Was all he said in the saddest voice I ever heard and it finally broke my heart.

Then I was hit with an idea.

“Love, my own love, I ...” I had to swallow hard, sobs still interrupting making a fluent speech impossible. “Oh, my heart, ... Please, please listen to me. I am imploring you not to say a thing but promise to think about my proposal. Please do not just brush it away before you have not thought about it proper.” I begged.

He nodded and waved for me to continue. Stammering I was putting forward what I had thought about.

Being a mutated form of a Brown-Grey and despite my now rather human appearance there are still functionalities of my body system that belong to the Greys. One of those functions is the ability of Grey of which ever gender to reciprocate. I hoped that even though my sexual glands, the gills, had closed, that the doctors in the Breeding Facility on Willman 88 Gamma would be able to open them again and with a treatment of hormones, so I thought I might be able to bear a child.

This option would not mean that we were cloning Cyril for my DNA would be as much involved as his own. No it would be a proper birth. Of course with Cyril being of a completely different species, my gills and his seeds would have to go through a special preparatory phase, at least that was my thinking.

“Will you allow me to have that treatment. To reactivate my sexual gills. It will not mean that you have to agree to this. It will just give us an idea if this is an option at all. For now we can’t even be sure that they can me made working again.” I explained to him.

He promised to think about my proposition and agreed that he would not object to me being treated as long as this posed no threat to my own existence.

I agreed that he would be included in every decision making and that I wanted him to be with me all the way through the fertility treatment.

I was of course well aware that even if he agreed to provide his sperm that this did not mean that the breeding would be successful. After all we were of two very different makes.

The next morning he announced that he would postpone his switch-off until it was either clear that this idea of mine could work and I was successfully inseminated.

Afterwards some of our friends, even close ones, accused me of doing this because I had hoped that having a child together would sway him off his idea. 

I can truly say that at the point in time when I made my proposal, I wasn’t thinking of this at all but rather hoped that if he’d agreed to our child, that I would have something of him left to remind me of him, for me to love.

The same day we boarded the flyer to travel to Willman 88 for me to have my gills checked. If anyone ever had told me that I was doing this in the years before Cyril’s ordeal, I would have outright declare the person bonkers. And now ...

Now I could get fast enough to Willman to receive a treatment of Grey-hormones. 

I wasn’t even thinking that this treatment might have an influence on the mutation of my body, all I could think of was that I wanted a child, Cyril’s child. I needed this child before he would leave me forever.

The check including the fertility treatment would take three months, time enough as I found, and Cyril agreed, for him to think about this and to make up his mind whether he wanted to become a father or not.

Impossible me could hardly wait to hear if it was possible to re-open my gills and to bear a child. I never have been very patient and my trials to push the process to get faster to a result were watched by Cyril with great amusement. 

When finally the verdict came that with continued hormonal treatment, I indeed would be able to breed a child in my gils, I was very excited and my excitement might have spilt over to Cyril for he agreed to have sperm extracted and prepared for inseminating me.

I was so relieved to hear that I almost jumped up into his arms.

When the time came, I was eager despite the fact that all those preparations were causing my mutated body some serious pains.

Before Cyril had his sperm extraction he pointed out quite clearly that the sperms should only be used for impregnating me and that he had no intend to lift the ban on the copying of his data, mental and chassis.

The doctors and I had to sign an agreement that we would not try to clone Cyril from any remaining sperms but that all not used material would be destroyed as soon as the treatment led to the expected success.

Many might find this strange but I did not hesitated once and signed. 

With the prospect of having Cyril’s child, I think I had come to terms with his wish not to exist anymore and after all I loved him and all that counted for me was to see him happy. If dying was making him happy, no matter how much it might hurt me, so be it.

After the extraction of Cyril’s seed it took the doctors on Willman 88 another week to prepare the extract so that it could be spawned inside my gils. This week was the hardest for me and then finally came the day and I was prepared and a team of doctors were busy to implant the seeds, ten all in all into the gills on each side of my body.

After that was done the waiting game started afresh.

However in the next following six weeks one seed was aborted per week which left me with four and a right state of panic. What if those seeds wouldn’t settle? If they all detached and died?

The following week two seeds were aborted and I was left with two, so I thought, but the next check proved that one of the seeds had died and had to be removed not to poison me.

This left one. Only one.

To make sure that the seed would get a fair chance to connect to my gills I was ordered bed rest. For somebody as active as myself this was mere torture and hadn’t it been for Cyril being by my side all the way, I might have abandoned my own idea.

However, it didn’t needed the doctors to tell me for the ever more swelling bulge on my right side just a handbreadth underneath my armpit, made it clear that this seedling was well alive and growing.

Cyril watched the growing bulge at my side where his anatomy had built a ribcage with ever growing fascination and even though he had planned to switch-off as soon as my impregnation would be successful, he was so intrigued that he postponed.

Despite the fact that our child grew inside my gill, the following months meant for me that I had to continue with the hormonal treatment. This was necessary because Cyril and I were only partially of a similar species. This birthing process was something we did not share.

Cyril curious how all this would further develop began to pamper me whilst I was still condemned to stay in bed.

With the seedling settled and growing the increasing bulge under my arm became very uncomfortable and my mood as well as my determination began to falter.

Meanwhile the doctors used the time of slow progression on parts of the child’s growth to look further into the typical Grey’s breeding process and it was then that we all realised that my new body would not be equipped for the next stage.

The breeding of a Grey’s child in the gills covers only the first six month until the embryo is fully developed, then Grey’s give prematurely birth and the embryo has to move into a breeding pouch which develops in those first six months on the pregnant Grey’s belly.

However, with my chassis now being more Pseudo-homosapiens, no pouch was forming on my belly.

A factor that had me worried but Professor Dharma and Doctor Inoh of the Breeding Station were at hand, calming me, announcing that they would prepare a breeding tank for my child’s later development and that I needn’t worry they would make sure that the child would not come to harm.

With that bulge under on my side sticking out so far that I couldn’t let my arm fall down at my side, I looked forward to the child’s transfer into the tank.

After six months were past the skin around the bulge began to look brittle and one night I was rushed into the OR with Cyril by my side holding my hand.

The room was sterilised and the breeding tank to take the child was placed next to a table where I was made to lay on.

I must have brushed against the bulge whilst climbing onto the table for the bloody thing burst and out rolled the birthing bag with child and nutrient fluid. Thankfully Doctor Inoh must have anticipated that for he was quick and before the bag could fall of the table caught it and rushed it over to the tank.

My burst gill was cleaned by the medical team and bandaged and then I was told that if I wished I could leave the hospital.

As soon as I came off that table I turned around but the breeding tank next child was gone.

Professor Dharma of the breeding facility must have waited and saw my motion for she stepped forward, introduced herself and offered to take us over to the breeding facility to see the child. On our way to the facility on Willman 88 Gamma in a regular shuttle between the two facilities she explained that the transfer of the child had been well and that the team at the breeder under the lead of Doctor Inoh had run a medical check on the newborn. 

“There is no reason to worry. The child is healthy and all is as it should be. From now on the little one will stay in the breeding tank in our nursery and of course you can come and visit as often as you like. Our principle is to offer as much chance to the parents to see their child as possible. There will be no after hours for you.”

“Do you know which gender the child has?” Cyril asked but Professor Dharma shook her head and shrugged.

“Doctor Inoh told me that it seems the child displays very much the characteristics of the Greys or rather Brown-Greys in this respect. I am very sorry, Doctor Rainshaw.”

This alarmed me considerably.

“But the child will NOT develop the chassis of a Brown-Grey or any Grey for that matter, will it?” I almost panicked for I had not considered this possibility and with all the hormonal treatment I had received I had been more worried about the effects on my own chassis than that of the child.

“I wished I could be certain, Mr. Blunk. But it’s too early to say.” I was told.

“But see for yourself.” Professor Dharma said and pointed at one of the tanks as we entered the nursery. 

I admit that my knees were shaking as I stepped closer.


	9. Life goes on

Cautiously I approached the tank when suddenly my hand was grabbed and I almost jumped. My head turned and I saw Cyril next to me holding my hand tight.

Together we stepped in front of the tank and almost simultaneously we lifted our eyes and then gasped.

Inside the tank connected to quite a lot of wires was my embryo as big as my thumbnail now out of the birthing bag swimming in a nutrient liquid that would support its further development. The thing in the tank was so small one could hardly call it a child at all. This of course explained why the team at the Breeder could not yet establish which chassis the embryo would develop.

Somehow I must have looked disappointed for Doctor Inoh stepped up next to me and explained.

“The baby is at a very early stage still. There is nothing to worry about that for that is quite normal. Like all members of your original race you gave birth prematurely. The child will develop to full functionality within the tank. The tank just replacing the breeding pouch that is typical for the race of the Greys. It’s exactly what those tanks were made for.”

“Have you had dealings with Grey or rather Brown-Grey babies before?” Cyril asked and both Doctor Inoh and Professor Dharma who now joined us confirmed. 

Having had our first look we now were asked to follow the two into their or rather Professor Dharma’s office on site. There we were shown statistics of Grey and especially Black- and Brown-Grey births which the site had dealings with in the past.  The success rate for the embryos full development and healthy disconnection from the tank was quite impressive and ninety-nine percent of the babies developed normal and healthy.

Cyril seemed to be positively impressed and approved the openness of both facility leaders. To calm my nerves he gave me and encouraging nod. I knew that I could trust his judgement and relaxed.

According to the rules we knew we had to wait for at least ten years until we would be able to collect our child from the breeder, at least it had been like this for Gene and Hank when they had their boys.

So I was very surprise when I heard that in our case it was different. Children of Grey origin, I learnt developed differently.

“We are not able to influence or programme your child.” Cyril who had asked was told. “Therefore we will keep the child only until he or she has developed so far that it will be no risk to go on with the release. This normally happens after about a year. Young Greys as I already said develop differently. The child will not be able to support itself but it will be able to take food and more important breath. For the rest of the child’s development you have to take care for yourselves.”

“What do you mean, we have to take care of what?” Cyril insisted to know.

“Well, Doctor Rainshar, I’m very sorry but in this case we have to follow government orders. As your child can’t be externally influenced in the way clones are, by electronically feeding data into their systems, we are ordered to clear the tanks at the earliest possible development stage. You will have to take up parenting like teaching the child to talk, to walk, even hygienics. We can support you with advice but that is all we can provide. Sorry gents but our hands are tied.” Professor Dharma replied sounding almost apologetic.

“So how fast do you expect this child to develop and when will be able to establish its gender? Is that year a fixture or can it be longer or possibly even shorter?” The way Cyril asked worried me, knowing of his plans. Before Doctor Inoh or Professor Dharma could reply or Cyril could explain what he was after in more detail, I hurried and cut in.

“I want you, Cyril, to name our child.” 

I said it and jumped out of the seat dashing out of the room and outside the building into the fresh air, away so that they couldn’t observe me from the windows of the office.

“What is wrong?” Professor Dharma asked Cyril. “Dr. Rainshar, I require an explanation. Why is your partner acting so strange? Is everything in order in your relationship? I sense some tension there.”

Cyril blushed and slowly opened and explained his plans to terminate his existence.

“WHAT? If I had know that I would never have agreed to you having a child.” Professor Dharma shouted. “Are you aware under how much pressure you are putting your partner? Have you even discussed this properly with him?”

Cyril started afresh with the explanation as to why he wanted to switch-off. 

The more he spoke the angrier the Professor grew. Finally she stopped him and declared. “You are a very selfish man, Doctor Rainshar. All I have heard so far was ‘I want’ and ‘I do’ and ‘I’, ‘I’, ‘I’. Before I was asked to agree to you two having that treatment, I had to run a research on both of you. This research gave me quite some insight into Mr. Blunk’s past and the - to put it carefully - maltreatment he had to suffer. His file shows that in the past he never really stood up for his own desires and wishes. I have to take it that even though I thought your relationship was based on an equal partnership, I was wrong. For now it rather looks to me as if you are pushing your wishes and decisions onto him and he is not capable of refusing.”

Cyril sat there staring at the Professor. Suddenly he remembered how much trouble Harri had to express his own desires. How he had pushed him for a long, long time to overcome this shyness and to speak up for himself. Now it seemed that he had pushed this concerns aside and bowled Harri over with his own decisions without giving Harri a chance to give his opinion.

“I have become such a moody bastard.” Cyril finally confessed. “How can I even dare to force him to live with someone like me. I am not the man I was.”

“There we have if again. ‘I’, ‘I’, ‘I’!” The professor hollered at him. “I am married to a moody bastard myself and he has not the excuse to have gone through the torments you have experience. However, let me tell you, Doctor Rainshar, I rather live with my husband’s mood swings than living without him. I love my husband you know, and even though I am put off by his moods sometimes, no, I would not want him to switch himself off. I believe, Doctor Rainshar, that your partner feels the same way I do. Have you any idea what you are putting him through with your selfishness?”

Cyril was quiet and so Professor Dharma sighed deeply. “Well,” she said, “the damage is done. The child is born and I fear that Mr. Blunk will have to raise it on his own, seeing you being so determined to abandon him and the child. Well, be it so, it can’t be helped any longer. Good day, Doctor Rainshar.”

With this she signalled that she considered the conversation to be over and a very quiet and thoughtful Cyril left the office.

He was so deep in thoughts actually that he startled when he found himself stopping in front of the tank that held Harri’s and his child. In his musings he failed to notice me who was standing in the shadows, watching him.

Addressing the little wormlike being in the tank, Cyril sighed. “It seems that one of your fathers is a selfish bastard. I hope you will not pick up this trait.” He said and the little worm wiggled and it seemed to Cyril and me alike that he turned to face the person that spoke.

“But I’m asking you,” Cyril continued, “how can he endure or love someone like me? Someone like the me I have become? He certainly can’t. And who am I to press myself upon him and deprive him of any happiness? Huh?”

Out of the shadow from behind him I replied. “He wouldn’t stop loving you and would bear all your moods if only you would give it a try. If only you accepted that you need professional help. He never expected that this would go away over night and by itself.”

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around Cyril’s waist. “He would wish, that you at least tried. I could life with your decision to switch off if I knew that you had tried every possible path. What I can’t accept is that you are just giving up and not even trying to get better. At least you could try, if not for me, then for him.”

I pointed at the little worm in the tank. 

Somehow I found that not looking at Cyril and not being looked at by him helped me to overcome my reluctancy to speak out for myself. So when Cyril was trying to turn in my arms I held him fast so that he couldn’t.

“Wait. Let me finish first.” I said softly against Cyril’s ear. “Cyril, I have been patient. I have held back because I knew you were damaged, needed time. But, Cyril, I am missing us. Us the way we were. I miss touching you without fearing to damage you further. But most of all I am missing to be touched by you. I am missing having sex with you. It’s been so long that I hardly can remember what it feels like, or what you taste like.” 

Just as if to remind myself, my tongue darted out and I licked gently his ear-shell. 

Little sparks flew between us as they used to be and as we used to like. Only this time he pulled away from me.

I loosened my grip around his waist and pulled back. “So you do not want my touch anymore.” I said and despite the comment being whispered the sadness in my voice must have caught him unawares for he flung around and stared at me as I made my retreat back into the shadows.

“Well, then,” my voice almost echoed out of the darkness, “have it your way. Switch off. But if you do it, do it quick. Do it now.” With that I left the room.

As I left I had to walk past Professor Dharma and Doctor Inoh who looked at me sad but understanding.

“Excuse me. May I ask you if you have accommodation for me here on site?” I asked when I reached them. Doctor Inoh begged me to follow him and I went after without turn around.

“What about Doctor Rainshar?” Doctor Inoh asked me and I shrugged. 

“Maybe you can call our friends Gene and Hank to pick him up and take him home.” I replied.

Cyril turned and saw me leaving. He also saw the two leaders of the breeding facility standing in the doorway. He observed as I was led away by the doctor. Somehow he expected that the Professor would address him, but she didn’t only turned on her heal and left him standing.

Cyril sighed deeply before walking out of the tank room. Automatically his steps led him to the hangar where he found my flyer. 

He entered and sat in the cockpit for a short while. Then he got up and rummaging in the drawers of the writing desk in the officer’s mess dug out a pen, paper and an envelope.

He wrote down two sentences. Folded up the paper and shoved it into the envelope before sealing it. On top he wrote “For Harri”.

He then left the envelop in the cockpit of the flyer and left the craft only to be met by Doctor Inoh. 

“Doctor Rainshar, your ... Erm, Mr. Blunk has decided that he wants to stay on site for the next couple of weeks to learn more about and support the child’s development. He said, that if you wish, we should ask your friends Gene and Hank to pick you up from here. Is that your wish too?” 

Cyril contemplated for a moment and then replied. “Doctor Inoh, do you have teleportation stations on site?” This was affirmed. “May I then make use of one of them?”

Again the reply was affirmative.

Following Doctor Inoh, Cyril was brought to the transporter stations and after entering the coordinates of the counter station at his home on Rhea he stepped inside and Doctor Inoh activated the device.

The transmission was quick but costed Cyril some substantial power, so he retired to his alcove straight away. In the quiet of the house and the solitude of his alcove thoughts were tormenting him. Why had he gone to the alcove instead of just use the power-loss for the final switch off? Was that a sign that he was not really ready to let go? 

The Professor’s words were haunting him. “you are a selfish bastard”, “do you know what you are putting him through”, “have you ever really discussed this decision with him” were the sentences spooking through his mind.

The fact that the child would have to be raised by Harri and not being delivered ready as it had been with Peer and Ash also bugged him. How would Harri handle this? Would he be able to cope all on his own? However, it had been Harri’s idea to have a child in the first place. But why had he agreed to this madness? Was he secretly hoping to leave something of himself behind? But if so, why not a complete clone, why this strange mixture between Harri and himself? 

His thoughts went back to the little worm in the tank. Had this thing that wasn’t looking like a proper being  really turned towards his voice? Had this worm understood? How much influence or rather the lack of it would show when the child developed without him.

Finally Harri’s last words sprang back to his mind, the rawness of them, the hurt that had spoken out of them. It made him flinch.

Would Harri hate him if he went through with his plan? Would he influence the child against him? Suddenly he had to laugh. It was a bitter laugh, however. _Why am I bothered about that? I wouldn’t be there to suffer. I will be gone, never know._

That thought however hurt him more than he had thought it would.

He was torn out of his thoughts when the communicator signalled an incoming call. He decided to take the call directly from his alcove and commanded the receipt of the call.

On the small monitor before him two familiar faces appeared.

“Hi Gene, Hank. How are you?” He said automatically.

“That is what we want to know from you, mate!” Hank growled in his usual Hank-fashion.

“Shush.” Gene poked his partner and then turned to Cyril. “Cyril, the team of the Breeder called us. Professor Dharma was worried and she told us what happened today. Are you OK?”

The worry written all over the faces of his long term friends was too much for Cyril and he started to sob.

“We are on our way,” Gene said, “you stay where you are. We let ourselves in, don’t worry.” 

It took the friends only five minutes to walk into the house and find a broken down crying Cyril. 

“I get something to drink.” Hank said as he struggled to deal with the situation and therefore reacted in his typical ‘I leave you to it, Gene’ way.

Gene nodded and when Hank was gone, wrapped Cyril into his arms, holding him.

“What is this nonsense about switching off, Cyril? Heavens, I thought we were friends. Why did you not come and spoke to me first?”

Between heavy sobs Cyril managed to say that he deemed his situation helpless but he also mentioned that Harri had accused him of giving up before even trying to get help.

“He has a point, Cyril. He really has. Why not give it a try and see if it works out. Switching off should be the very last solution, when nothing else goes and you can’t bear it any longer. But not yet, Cyril, not yet.”

Cyril shook his head. “It’s too late, Gene. I have lost all. I have driven away Harri. He doesn’t love me anymore. But then why should he? Who could love someone like me? I’m not worthy of love. I’m only letting everybody down. Harry and the baby are better off without me. I’m good for nothing. I couldn’t even safe my own staff. What if somebody attacks Harri and the baby. I couldn’t safe them, I’m worthless.”

Gene looked at him and as Cyril was trying to avoid his glance, took hold of Cyril’s chin forcing him to look him in the eye. 

“That is the biggest bunch of bullshit I have ever heard, Cyril Rainshar. I thought you to be a smart man, really.” Gene sighed. “What makes you say such a bundle of shite? You look at it in broad daylight and even you have to admit that it’s rubbish.”

“What’s rubbish?” Hank was heard saying as he entered the room with three glasses of holo-drinks on a tray. 

“Cyril thinks he’s worthless and can’t protect Harri and the baby. He blames himself that he couldn’t safe his staff.” Gene explained.

“Now that really is stupid.” Hank bellowed. “Who told you that BS? Huh?” Looking from Cyril over to Gene he added “Harri hasn’t or has he?”

Both Gene and Cyril shook their heads.

“Then I can’t see what makes you think that?” Hank concluded.

“Harri said I need to see a shrink.” Cyril lamented.

“And he’s damn right if you are believing that shite.” Hank growled once more.

Gene waved him to stop but somehow Hank’s no nonsense approach helped Cyril to come to terms.

“Do you think, I’ll get a second chance? That Harri takes me back?” Cyril plead and Hank exploded.

“DAMIT YOU IDIOT! YOU DON’T NEED A SECOND CHANCE WITH HARRI. HE LOVES YOU.”

Cyril’s face had gone extremely pale during Hank’s outburst and Gene got up from the bed where he had sat facing Cyril and addressing Cyril gently whilst pushing Hank out of the room. “You need rest, Cyril. Try to recharge. If you need us, we are just next doors in the living room.”

Gladly Hank offered not much resistance and seeing Gene’s intentions and guessing that his life-partner wanted a word in private he obliged and let himself being shoved out of the room.

However as soon as the door fell into lock he growled “This goddamn bugger has given up fighting.”

“That might be so, Hank, but he is suffering tremendously for it.” Gene replied.

“Huh! I bet.” Hank scoffed, “And what about Harri. Has he wasted just one thought on Harri? - He really doesn’t deserve him, I see that clearly now. Harri might be much better off, if he’d only saw it that way.” Hank concluded with a huge sigh of resignation.

Gene knew that Hank always had felt a deep friendship for Harri. Especially as the two shared a common distant past. They both had suffered abuse and slander, just to find themselves imprisoned for deeds neither of the two had done. They even had shared some time in the same facility, waiting in death row. But whilst Harri had always tried to follow the legal path, Hank had bailed and for a long time hidden in the Wilderness, the unchartered part of their Universe, lived as an outlaw.

Despite their different characters Hank and Harri had always been good at working together and there was this unspoken bond between the two. Gene knew about all this and so he understood his partner. Still, his outbursts was not helping the overall situation. 

As Gene trusted Cyril to speak open and truthful to them, he believed Cyril’s account that Harri had dismissed him.

“Of course he has.” Hank rumbled on, “sees sense for the first time, if you ask me.”

“Oh, Hank, give it a rest. No one asks you and you are not right. Harri acted out his hurt feelings, that’s all.”

Gene began to walk up and down pacing the room’s full length like a wild animal in a cage.

Hank knowing this habit for what it was, sat down watching, whilst his friend and lover tried hard to think of a solution in this dilemma. 

“The problem lies definitely with Cyril, not with Harri. So much for sure.” Gene mused.

“As I see it, Harri never has before said a word when Cyril spoke about ending his life. Only now that the baby is there, Harri lost his cool.” Gene stopped and looked at Hank. “He must be scared whitless, Harri.” Gene said and without expecting a response continued, “At the breeder they were told that the development of his child will be different, not like it had been with Ash and Peer. He will get an unfinished child and has to see to that he gets it to develop in the right ways. That cannot be easy. Thinking of that makes me shudder. Thank goodness that Peer and Ash were almost completed when we got them. Even now fully developed they can be a handful.”

Hank sighed, rolled his eyes and grinned. Both loved their cloned children dearly but the headstrong young men were hard to handle at times. 

“I am not convinced that we could offer Harri much assistance for that part.” Gene said.

“Maybe, that is one thing Cyril fears too.” Hank opted.

“You bet, he does.” Gene said, “And it just adds to his overall depression. Cyril needs help, but he has reached a point where he believes that he can’t be helped and that he is rather a burden to Harri than doing him any good.”

“Do you know, that they haven’t been together, sexually, since his abduction?” Hank asked, Gene stopped short. “What makes you say that?”

“I know for certain, because Harri told me. He said, he is frustrated to have Cyril around and not being able to touch and kiss him for fear ...”

“For fear?” 

Hank sighed again. “Harri fears to hurt him but more so fears that Cyril might reject him.”

“Damn.” Gene slammed his fist into the palm of his hand.| “What? - Come on - WHAT?” Hank stood up and stepped two steps closer.

“I think, that is exactly what happened at the breeding station. Doctor Inoh mentioned something to me when he called. Like he had observed how Harri had wrapped Cyril in his arms and when he tried to kiss him, Cyril moved away. Pushed him back.”

The two looked at each other but no one spoke. 

Then Hank bridged the gap with a few more strides and took Gene into his arms.

They held each other close, foreheads pressed together.

“That is no good sign.” Hank said, “I know how that must hurt and I still could beat myself up for having treated you this way. After you ...” 

Gene made him stop talking with his finger on his lips only to replace the finger with his own mouth.

As they broke the kiss, Gene spoke. “Do not speak of it or think about it, Love. This lies long forgiven and forgotten in the past.”

A loud high pitched whistling sound made the two jump.

“Cyri!” Gene cried and both darted out of the room and into the bedroom towards Cyril’s alcoven.

They found that the rooms wireless connection had been interrupted and on a sideboard lay the device Peer and Ash had developed for Cyril.

The alcoven itself was whistling out loud and all alarm lights were flashing.

The hologram in the alcove however was worn so thin that he was barely visible.

Hank wanted to dash and switch the power back on but Gene held him back.

“No! Don’t, Hank. He as made a statement and after all it was his own decision. There is nothing we can do. Remember he has written a proclamation that he doesn’t wanted to be cloned or revived in case of his being should wane. This is it. All we can do is inform Harri.”

Hank shook his head. 

“Not necessary.” He said and pointed to the entrance. 

In the door frame stood Harri very pale, his hand grabbing the door handle so hard that the bones in his hands stood out stark white.

Gene and Hank walked over to their friend and both took him into an embrace. 

“He must have switched all the minor alarms off.” Gene explained. “Only the main alarm he couldn’t. When we came in it was already too late.”

Harri nodded.

“I know. There is no need for you to feel guilty. He wanted it that way. He had spoken ...”

Harri’s voice broke.

The two friends turned him around and led him out of the room. Being back in the living area they sat Harri down in a chair and Hank rushed to fill a glass, this time with a proper drink as Harri could not only use one but also was able to digest.

“Here, Harri, drink up. It’ll do you good. You’re pale as that damn wall, mate.” Hank said and pushed the glass into Harri’s hand.

“I’ll go and inform the officials.” Hank said, falling back into his professional role as a law officer. Gene nodded and mouthed ‘OK. Thanks.’

He then knelt down before Harri holding his hands and speaking softly to their friend. When Hank turned at the door to look back into the room he suddenly felt like he had a deja-vu. Only this time it wasn’t the surroundings of a laboratory but the comfortably equipped living room in his friends house.

“DAMN IT!” He breathed and left to make the necessary calls.

“Cyril! Cyril junior, enough now. Put these books aside. Time for bed.” Harri called out in mock anger.

“But DAAAAAD, I have my tests tomorrow.” The boy lamented.

“What would your Daddy say if he was here?” Harri wiggled his finger at his son.

“IF YOU DON’T KNOW IT BY NOW, YOU WILL NOT KNOW IT TOMORROW.” The two intoned simultaneously and then laughed out loud.

Harri gave his son a huge bear hug and then ruffled his thick dark hair. “Time for bed now. You will do just fine tomorrow. I know that. So don’t fret. Go and wash yourself, brush your teeth and off to bed. I shall be back in ten and check if you are ready.”

“Will you tuck me in?” The boy asked and his eyes sparkled. 

“Hm. Maybe your Daddy will do that.” Harri said with a big grin and gave his son a shove in direction of the bathroom.

Just then the front door opened and a voice called out “HEY, I’m home.”

“HEY, were here. Are you hungry?” Harri hollered back.

A few minutes later the face of Dr. Cyril Rainshar popped into the room. 

“Where’s the boy?” He asked as he grabbed Harri and pulled him in for a kiss.

“Bath.” Harri gasped longing for air.

“Will you tuck him in? I promised him you’ll do it tonight.” Harri said. “I’ll fix you something to eat. Won’t be long.”

He wiggled himself out of the embrace and walked out to the kitchen to get the holographic food-processor running. 

“CY, WHAT DO YOU WANT?” He shouted but as no answer came pushed the buttons to get Cyril’s favourite. 

When the machine signalled that the food was ready, he went back to their son’s room. Standing in the door he could only but smile.

Cyril junior was tucked in bed and his Daddy was sitting by his side reading from a book. Not just any book of course but the latest achievements in astrophysics. 

Harri stood there for a moment watching and without saying anything Cyril senior looked up and at him. 

“Your food is read, Love.” Harri said and Cyril senior slapped the book shut, bent over their son and kissed him ‘good night’ only to be swiftly followed by Harri doing the same.

As soon as the two had left the room the light slowly dimmed until it eclipsed. \

With a smile on his face Harri watched as Cyril downed his high energy power food. His hands holding his jaw, the ellbows in support on the table, he smiled as his mind drifted off.

Ten years. Ten wonderful long years. 

Ten year ago, two years after Dr. Cyril Rainshar had switched himself off, the government’s lawyers found a catch in Cyril’s declaration. The document was presented to an official hearing committee and found  and declaired “INVALID”.

The original document set-up by Cyril had never been legally approved and therefore was legally not binding.

The prohibition of the cloning of Dr. Rainshar had been lifted. The only problem the government, who wanted the Doctor cloned urgently, was facing was the fact that there was not data and no chassis left to clone.

However a your scientist by the name of Peer Tom Tenge Rovings had developed a method to distract DNA and data strands from the smallest of sources.

In Doctor Rainshar’s case the source, however, was not so small anymore but was visiting one of the governmental education centres.

With Harri’s and Cyril junior’s approval Peer took a strand of Cyril senior’s original data which he distilled from a droplet of Cyril junior’s blood.

This strand was processed and after the strand was restored to its complete length the counterpart was created. From this a clone of the Doctor was produced. 

During the processing Peer was ordered to remove all defective parts and with that all affinity that the clone might suffer from the same depressions were removed.

In the meantime a super breeder had been developed and successfully tested. This breeding tank was able to reduce the breeding time substantially. With the help of this facility the cloned Doctor Cyril Rainshar was speed-matured within a few weeks.

With his feelings for Harri intact and a quick historic data feed completed, Doctor Cyril contacted his lover and his son and after a short time of reconciliation moved back in with the two. 

Since then the little family had been inseparable and friends of old came often for a visit, helping Cyril senior to update his historic database.

Ten years ago. Now it felt to Harri as if Cyril never had been away. The new Cyril was just like the old Cyril he remembered and loved. Falling in love with the Cyril had not been difficult. Old and new were identical, even more than twins. 

Cyril junior had inherited his Daddy’s brilliant mind and his dad’s quirky chassis. Harri found that his son was the perfect mix between Cyril and himself. Bringing the boy up had been challenging at first, but Harri always had loved a challenge and thanks to the child’s quick mind and eagerness to learn, it had been easier than Harri and all his friends had anticipated. Gene and Hank’s two boys had of course played a big part in the education of young Cyril and Harri had been thankful as his scientific knowledge was limited and more than once his son’s questions had overstepped the limit. With Peer and Ash as tutors Cyril junior soon excelled and was able to skip several classes. 

Tomorrow he was sitting his exams at the age of twelve and the results would determine if he was accepted to university. If he passed he would be the youngest non-cloned pupil to be accepted into the institute.

Harri smiled dreamily. For Cyril junior not to pass was almost out of the question.

“What are you smiling for?” Cyril senior asked him pulling him out of his thoughts.

“I was thinking that our little boy will become an university student from tomorrow on. It seems just like yesterday to me, that I collected him when he came out of that tank.” Harri sighed, deeply and contented.

“It does indeed.” Cyril senior said. “Come on, Love. You look tired. Time for us to retreat as well.”

The two walked arm in arm to the back end of their house and into their bedroom.

The door fell shut behind them.


End file.
